Smith claims TD record as Dallas goes 8-0 in division

''Nobody else will ever be the first to do it,'' Dallas coach Chan Gailey said Sunday after the playoff-bound Cowboys beat the Washington Redskins 23-7 Sunday night, becoming the first NFC East team to go 8-0 against conference rivals.

''We wanted to do it, but it's not like that was the only thing on our minds,'' Gailey said. ''We wanted to make sure we were healthy enough going into the playoffs.''

Emmitt Smith ran for a pair of touchdowns, setting a NFL career record for rushing touchdowns, as Dallas (10-6) swept the Redskins for the first time since 1994. It was quite a turnaround from 1997, when Dallas went 6-10, costing coach Barry Switzer his job.

The closest an NFC East had come to sweeping was the 1997 New York Giants, who went 7-0-1.

''This was something special for Chan to do it,'' Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said ''We didn't even come close to doing it in our Super Bowl winning years.''

While Washington (6-10) saw its four-game winning streak snapped, Dallas goes on to a first-round game at home next Saturday against Arizona (9-7). The Cowboys beat the Cardinals 38-10 and 35-28 during the regular season, and Arizona has lost nine straight at Texas

Smith broke the NFL record for career rushing touchdowns on a 1-yard run to cap a 65-yard drive in the second quarter. A 51-yard pass from Troy Aikman to Michael Irvin set up the score, the 124th rushing TD for Smith, breaking a tie with Marcus Allen.

''It meant a lot to me to get the record after nine hard years because there were a lot of people ahead of me,'' Smith said. ''It was great to get it because of the way we played and winning the ballgame. It's something I definitely feel proud of.''

Smith struck again on the Cowboys' next possession as he broke three tackles on a 26-yard touchdown run. Passes of 19 and 24 yards to Billy Davis helped out on the 88-yard drive.

''I just kept my balance and got some great blocking,'' Smith said.

''It's one of the greatest runs Emmitt has made since he's been here,'' fullback Daryl Johnston said. ''This was a special day and a special game. It was a great accomplishment for us to sweep the NFC East considering all the great teams that have played in the division in the past.''

Aikman, Irvin, and Smith all sat out the second half. Smith finished with 67 yards on 10 carries. Aikman completed 10 of 15 passes for 184 yards and Irvin caught two passes for 50. Smith finished the season with 1,332 yards rushing, his best season since 1995, when he had 1,773 yards.

''This was a game we definitely needed going into the playoffs,'' Aikman said. ''I think everyone felt we needed to come out and get something going and we did. This team accomplished a lot more than anyone outside this organization thought possible. I think this team is ready to hit the playoffs.''

Dallas got field goals of 34 and 23 yards from Richie Cunningham as the Cowboys took a 20-7 halftime lead. Cunningham also had a 26-yarder in the fourth quarter, which was set up by pass interference penalties of 32 and 33 yards on cornerback Tim Denton.

Washington got its only touchdown on a 6-yard pass from Trent Green to Leslie Shepherd, giving the Redskins a 7-3 lead in the first period. A 39-yard pass from Green to Shepherd positioned the Redskins for the score.

Redskins coach Norv Turner said the Cowboys looked like they did in November, before they opened December with three straight losses.

''The Cowboys were struggling offensively but they didn't struggle today,'' Turner said. ''Aikman was sharp and they made plays.''

The Redskins face an uncertain winter. The team is for sale and Turner's job status is uncertain.

''The last eight weeks we have scored touchdowns and not turned the ball over,'' Turner said. ''Today we were the opposite. They did a nice job of blitzing and kept us from getting into a rhythm. I thought we could win the game but we didn't give ourselves a chance to win. The situation with us is unsettled and everything will settle out in the next month. ''